RAWALPINDI: Heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds lashed the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Monday, bringing the temperature down to 16 degrees Celsius and inundating low-lying areas.

The rain started early in the morning and continued till late night. Although the sun briefly broke through the heavily overcast sky in the afternoon, rain again lashed the cities in the evening.

Due to the rain, many roads were inundated with water, especially in downtown areas. A slushy mess was witnessed in the under-construction areas of Raja Bazaar, Commercial Market, Kutchery Chowk and alternative routes. Traffic congestion was observed on the main roads of the garrison city due to puddles. Low-lying areas around Leh Nullah were also affected by the heavy rain.

According to the Met Office, 45 millimetres of rain were recorded at Saidpur Village, 43mm at Zero Point, 28mm at Bokra, 19mm at Golra and 7mm at Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad. In Rawalpindi, 49mm rain was recorded at Shamsabad, 38mm at New Kattarian, 31mm at Pirwadhai, 28mm at Kutchery and 16mm at Gawalmandi, while Murree received 41mm of rain.

Low-lying areas inundated as Met Office forecasts more rain today, warns of flash floods, hailstorms

A Met official said that a westerly wave is affecting the upper and central parts of the country and is likely to persist till March 31.

“Scattered rain-wind/thunderstorm (with snowfall over the mountains) is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and northeastern Balochistan. Isolated heavy rainfall and hailstorms are also likely during this period. Meanwhile, isolated rain with wind and thunderstorms is expected at a few places in southern Punjab,” he said.

He added that the rain is likely to continue till Tuesday afternoon, after which the weather will clear, while the temperature is expected to drop by three to four degrees Celsius. “On Monday, a minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius was recorded in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and it is likely to fall further in the coming days,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Met advisory warned that due to heavy rains, flash floods are likely in local nullahs and streams of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir. Flash floods may also occur in local nullahs and streams of northeastern Balochistan on March 31.

Windstorms, hailstorms and lightning may damage weak structures, including electric poles, billboards and solar panels, during the forecast period.

Islamabad

Rainwater on various roads in the capital hampered flow of traffic. Besides, the construction of underpass on Park Road has also affected the flow of traffic on different roads including Club Road.

The roads also turned slippery, which also impeded the flow of traffic and resulted into traffic congestion in different parts of the capital.

The capital administration said the heavy intermittent rains continued in the capital on Monday, started on Sunday midnight. All officers of the district administration remained present in the field.

Timely cleaning of drains and low-laying areas facilitated water drainage. Intermittent heavy and light rain is continuing in different areas of the capital.

Sanitation staff is using water pumps and other equipment for draining water. Assistant commissioners are also continuously monitoring low-lying areas and drains.

Flow of traffic is also being maintained in collaboration with the Islamabad Traffic Police.

The administration and the ITP requested the residents to avoid unnecessary travel in rain. They have been asked to use fog lights and slow down in heavy rain, besides, vehicles and motorcycles riders must use their lane.

Besides, use side mirrors and indicators while traveling. The motorcyclists should move in the far-left lane at slow speed.

The people should travel with extra time keeping in view of traffic congestions and slow pace of traffic flow due to the rain and accumulation of rainwater at roads and different localities.

Muzaffarabad

A man drowned in a swollen water channel in Bagh district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday as heavy rain continued to lash the region for a second consecutive day, cutting off some remote hilly areas from main urban centres.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the incident occurred at around 1:45pm when Abdul Rehman, 40, a resident of Dhal Qazian village, was swept away while attempting to cross the Nullah Mahal on foot amid a surge in water level.

Local residents later retrieved him from the water, but he had already died. The body was handed over to his heirs.

Meanwhile, continuous rainfall triggered a landslide at Zero Point in Muzaffarabad, posing a threat to five houses. The residents of the affected homes were shifted to safer locations, the SDMA said.

The authority warned that widespread rain, accompanied by wind and thunderstorms, was expected across AJK over the next 24 hours, with chances of heavy falls and isolated hailstorms. — Also contributed by Munawer Azeem & Tariq Naqash

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2026